How to Sell Your Guns When the Market is Slow

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  • wtburnette

    WT(aF)
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    44   0   0
    Nov 11, 2013
    26,864
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    SW side of Indy
    Interesting. I can certainly agree with the point on stippling. I HATE the look so much that I wouldn't take a gun for free if it was stippled. Cerakoting on the other hand is different, as long as it's done well and the color is palatable.
     

    Tomc1947

    Sharpshooter
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    Jan 17, 2013
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    YODER
    I agree 100% with the comments about modified guns. If a gun is modified in any way, I'm not interested.

    Lately I've been more open to trades as a way of improving my collection and not losing my shirt(I hope).
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
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    Speedway area
    I agree 100% with the comments about modified guns. If a gun is modified in any way, I'm not interested.

    Lately I've been more open to trades as a way of improving my collection and not losing my shirt(I hope).

    In anything we do....cars motorcycles....boats.....guns....when you alter the platform you narrow the audience. Across the board.
    Many feel it diminishes the overall value. Depending on the mods they are wrong in my mind but it also depends on who messed with it and how deep the messing goes.
    If you dump a chunk into a 1911 on up-grades and even an AR.....many feel it is still just a 1911 or an AR.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    6   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    6,463
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    Madison county
    There is always the second option instead of selling. Holding. They don’t require maintenance dollars, feeding them is up to you, the room in the safe is the main concern. Time is always in favor depending on inflation. Guns in general seem to have decreased in build quality over time. The companies always looking to meet a price point cheapen the way the roll it out of the line. So a gun made in 1970 could have better build quality than one made in 1990’s. Ect. Not always the case as some of new newer technologies often give surprising results look at some of the groups cheaper bolt action rifles are getting now. A stock 400 bolt gun can shoot groups with many of my higher build quality browning a bolts.

    Third option: trade. Trade value is always an option. I have seen a few times that a good reliable 9mm and 100/200 bucks can get you a nicer pistol/rifle overall in value and the one you trade to gets the cash they need and a carry gun. I have started with a marlin model 60 and ended up with a mint browning high power within 15 trades. Each trade a little high up the ladder but this does take time and gun show entrance fees which I never count into that price. The big jump one those 15 trades included a scope that was worth more than the 10-22 it was traded for and a old steel Lyman peep sight that was on another gun which I sold for good money to a guy I knew wanted that exact model peep. The more people you know and meet and talk to the easier it is to make the informed trade.
    I have also made bad trades.

    The trade market is mainly for those of us who look at the classified ads often, go to gun shows often, ranges on nice sunny days ect. We see the normal asking prices, we know the normal trade in values of used guns given by dealers. We are not afraid to ask the gun show walker “what do you have there?”
     

    223 Gunner

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    199   0   0
    Jan 7, 2009
    4,411
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    Red Sector A
    I think it was well written and on point. If you don't have/need to sell a gun right now, then you shouldn't.
    We are in the time of year where guns typically sell faster and for more money. I saw a small fluctuation in the market after Vegas.
    Sometimes I think that is "our" own people trying to incite a panic so that they can sell the stuff they over paid for.
    But with the deals Palmetto State keeps running on ammo, mags, and guns, it tells me the market is still very soft.
     

    bstewrat3

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    142   0   0
    Apr 26, 2009
    1,524
    84
    Beech Grove
    It affects newer guns more than the older ones. I have had no problem selling some 70-100 year old guns for the appraised value from the height of the previous administration. It does come down to finding the right buyer though. Selling a Mosin for $300 when you can get a new rifle for $250 or less is tricky.
     

    GreyState

    Plinker
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    2   0   0
    Jun 22, 2017
    76
    8
    Ft Wayne
    Yep, customizing is a good way to narrow the potential audience. I shoot lefty, but always bought right handed rifles, just for this very reason. The number of lefties looking for left handed rifles is much smaller.
     

    Ggreen

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    49   0   0
    Sep 19, 2016
    3,686
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    SouthEast
    I picked up a like new SA Saint in a trade for a $500 pistol. It is almost worth it to have a few popular low price pistols sitting around....
     

    LarryC

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    1   0   0
    Jun 18, 2012
    2,418
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    Frankfort
    I think the post was spot on. I am a collector (hoarder) of firearms and ammo. I don't sell any of my guns but do keep up on prices, availability and popularity. As far as the cost of customizing a firearm, you should consider it non-recoverable and possibly as reducing the resale value, it is fine if you want to keep the firearm forever or pass it down to you family members. I personally pass on any firearm that is customized unless the cost is below a stock firearm. I don't want or need the special $300 trigger job, the stippling, cerakote, or peep sights, or laminated stock, in fact I know these are far harder to sell unless you find the one with the same want's and taste!

    I have found the inexpensive firearms with very few exceptions actually appreciate the most. I purchased several Mosins, SKS's etc. when they were selling for $89 ~ $99 each. All have doubled in price in less than 10 ~ 15 years and have a broad market. Same goes for some cheap handguns like Cobra's and Jenning's I purchased at $50 each.

    Every firearm I have purchased has appreciated in value, but some are just above inflation. Exceptions are my Colt Snake guns, (no idea why they became so popular all of a sudden), a SVD 40 that I purchased for around $350 that was banned for import a month or so later, now valued at $12 to $15 hundred, Garands I picked up at CMP and a few other military rifles that have gained in popularity. As far as surplus ammo, I have a case of Yugo 7.62X39, I bought for about $270 that is now selling for over $400 in less than 6 years. I have several spam cans of Russian 7.62 X 54R that have nearly doubled in price. In fact in terms of resale value almost all the military surplus ammo have appreciated more than any other item in a short time.

    My firearm are all in safes, don't eat anything and don't require much attention, re-cleaning and oiling every couple years or when shot.
    I do believe they are the greatest and safest investment a person can make! If a SHTF situation develops, I feel quite sure a firearm with ammo could be traded for a great amount of food, fuel or just about anything you want or need.

    A man with ounces of gold, food hoard, cattle or swine will need to have a firearm to insure he can keep them, while the person with firearms can defend both life and property.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    6   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    6,463
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    Madison county
    One of a kind, unique, rifle with personality, rifle with personality disorder, shotgun that likes to go swimming, game of thrones rifle (survived fire then was pulled from frozen water when searching house in winter)

    there is one billy bobbed shotgun I would love to purchase.

    A 1980’s vintage single shot 20 gauge slug gun that belongs to an old friend. It was used when he bought it has a rattle can camo paint job. Cheap 4 power scope about 50 some notches in the forearm (one for each deer harvested with it) about 20 notches in the butstock (one for each turkey) and three stars on the stock right side (one line for each coyote it has shot. ) more bumps and bangs wear marks slight rust on outside where it needs a little more paint. Inside the barrel it looks new. It shoot SST 20 gauge slugs like it was built for them. It will also shoot the cheap foster slugs well enough to suit most hunting in woods areas cheaply. The plastic shell holder at one time was five shells currently it is down to three and attached to the stock with two half inch drywall screws. I has a turkey barrel full choke no tubes. It is heavy , it is ugly, it has limited rounds quickly but I have also seen many deer drop to it at ranges few would believe from a slug gun.

    I would pay twice what that current guns going rate was to purchase that certian slug gun. It has history in our deer camp but he will never sell it. I over those years have used many deer guns. He has used that one since I can remember him coming to camp. I bet it ran him a good hundred and fifty total plus spray paint. Value near priceless.
     

    Okra

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 18, 2013
    60
    8
    Now is an excellent time to buy ammo as prices are probably at the lowest point they will reach. As they say, buy it cheap and stack it deep.
     

    Max Volume

    Master
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    2   0   0
    Jul 26, 2008
    2,597
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    da region Highland
    Customized guns are worth more only if it is a well known shop and can be proven. ie., Richard Heinie, Heirloom Custom, etc. I see so many adds that say "with upgrades". Many of which were only upgrades to the person who did it.
     

    NKBJ

    at the ark
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    4   0   0
    Apr 21, 2010
    6,240
    149
    Going by available examples there are two easy steps for successful firearms sales:
    1) Insist upon essentially a new gun price.
    2) Insist upon the prospective purchasers registering themselves with the government.

    Both 1 and 2 have saved me quite a bit of money.
     

    sharpetop

    Expert
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    1   0   0
    Apr 12, 2008
    837
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    I had a couple Safe Queens, Gifted them to my kids last Christmas. Everyone is Happy! :ar15:

    ^^^^ This! I recently gifted a Kahr CW9 to my daughter. The price on new ones dropped so much that I would have lost my ass, so why not gift it to a first time carrier?
     
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